Winger Gideon Gela-Mosby has been on a tear for the Pride in recent weeks. The 20-year-old has scored five tries in his past four games including a double against Wynnum Manly in Round 15. Halfback Jake Clifford leads the Queensland Cup with 129 points.

Shaun Hudson is the only Cowboys-contracted player at Kristian Woolf's disposal this weekend. After beginning the season in the centres, Hudson has moved to five-eighth in recent weeks to partner former Newcastle Knights playmaker Jaelen Feeney. Hudson is averaging 70 running metres and 13 tackles a game this season.

Talented youngster Kyle Laybutt makes his long-awaited return from a torn pec suffered playing for Mackay early in the season. Renowned more as a half, Laybutt will make his return in the centres with young gun Kurt Wiltshire manning the other centre position. Mitch Dunn and Shane Wright will man the second-row for Steve Sheppard's side.

The Mackay forward pack is boosted by three young Cowboys rising stars. Queensland under 18s rep Garrett Smith has been in scintillating for in 2018 and has graduated to the under 20s after a stellar Mal Meninga Cup campaign. Lock Sam Murphy has featured in two Queensland Cup games this season.

Cowboys contracted big-men Connor Luhan, Wiremu Greig and Peter Hola have formed a formidable combination in the middle third of the field for the Pride. All three are averaging in excess of 100 running metres per game, while Greig and Hola are also breaking more than three tackles an outing.